Cantina Rallo, Maremosso, Cataratto Skin Contact

If you've ever wondered about skin contact, cloudy or orangey wines but thought that they might just be a bit, sort of, you know... wonky... then this might just convince you that there is a method whereby skin contact and amphorae and lower use of S02 can make really delicious, bright, clean and fascinating (in a good way) wines.

Made by serial devotees to Natural Wine making, Ciello have pulled this one by its socks. This is a really engaging white with notes of ripe orchard fruits, apple skins, orange blossom, kitchen spices and baked apples. The palate is medium in body but offers a crisp and refreshing finish with savoury salinity from the volcanic soils. 

A really brilliantly executed orange style that will convert and convince that this style can create elegant, tasty and consistent wines. 

Cantine Rallo was established in 1860 and was immediately recognised as a producer of high quality wines. Don Diego Rallo initially made Marsala, as it was the most commercially lucrative enterprise, but in the 1990s stylistic preferences for wine had changed unrecognisably from the 1806s and the Vesco family, who bought the estate, began modernising the production and outlook of the company ready for the 21st Century.

Organic viticulture and a commitment to estate-made produce, the wines have become a benchmark for a new, living and breathing Sicily that puts them at the top table of all of Italy's regional Cantinas. The nearly-zero approach to Sulphur has put them in a fairly unexpected lead role in the Natural Wine movement as their style and execution is so approachable and carries many of the affects of conventional winemaking. I.e. this is tasty stuff! No off-notes or fizzy second ferments here. These are excellent wines, begging the question: "if a cantina in Sicily can do it properly, what's the problem with everyone else?" Quite.